United Postdoctoral Researchers of Rockefeller (UPROR)-UAW Initial Bargaining Goals

The following demands are designed to improve the working conditions of Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Research Associates (referred to, collectively, as “Postdocs”) at Rockefeller University (“Rockefeller”). These demands are structured to provide greater certainty and financial security for all postdoctoral scholars as we take into account the historic shifts toward longer and longer postdoctoral stages. We aim – among other goals – to ensure fair pay, housing, and benefits for all Postdocs; to build a truly inclusive, accessible, and diverse research community free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination; to ensure that Postdocs with families can afford childcare and associated costs; to support all Postdocs’ career development; to provide greater stability for non-citizen researchers; and to expand paid leaves of absence for Postdocs who become parents.

Rockefeller prides itself on its elite status, and uses language that suggests we are supported beyond our peer institutes – even as those peer institutes’ successful unionization campaigns raised their standards of living to or above our own. A strong contract, negotiated through collective bargaining, will reestablish Rockefeller as the premier New York City institute at which to do a postdoc. This will benefit the University on the whole, as attracting and retaining the most talented and diverse group of postdocs also ensures that the most transformative and impactful science is done at Rockefeller.

1. Establish competitive wages.

We strive for improved pay for all, commensurate with the value of our work, the forgone alternative careers for which Postdocs are qualified, and the high cost of living in New York City. These can include:

  • guaranteed annual increases that reflect the rising cost of living
  • a significant increase to competitive pay minimums
  • experience-based salary increases
  • transparent options for merit-based increases
  • guaranteed advance pay for work, training, and immigration-related expenses (e.g., visa renewals, conferences, etc.)

2. Equitable and transparent subsidized housing.

Rockefeller is capable of providing housing for all of its postdoctoral researchers – but the unpredictability of unit supply and pricing still makes it difficult to make informed decisions. We aim for:

  • transparency in unit supply, waitlist status, and expectations of pricing
  • controlled rent changes proportionate to changes in salary
  • increased subsidies for housing – on- and off-campus
  • affordable short-term emergency options
  • relocation assistance as Postdocs move across the country or from another country
  • guaranteed access to housing for the duration of appointments

3. Provide protections from harassment and unjust working conditions.

We aspire to ensure Postdocs are protected from unjust working conditions. This may include:

  • a fair, prompt, and enforceable process for addressing discrimination, workplace harassment, and bullying (including but not limited to sexual and gender-based incidents). 
  • measures to prevent any form of retaliation against individuals who report such incidents or participate in the resolution process.

4. Provide fair and enforceable grievance procedures.

When grievances are adjudicated solely by the university, it can be challenging to trust that the process remains fair and disinterested, especially in cases of administrative misconduct. We will bargain over procedures that equalize Postdocs and the university to ensure fair decisions:

  • a timely and enforceable grievance procedure
  • neutral third-party arbitration to provide impartial adjudication that equitably considers the Postdoc community

5. Guarantee a more equitable and inclusive environment for Postdoc parents.

We will seek to expand family-friendly policies that are critical for supporting and retaining researchers with small children while protecting and enhancing the benefits we currently enjoy. Our goals include:

  • transparency and access to decision-making processes surrounding childcare-related changes to prevent abrupt and unpredicted changes in conditions
  • improving paid parental leave to provide families with the time and financial stability they need
  • establishing predictable and enforceable standards that ensure access to cost-effective and high-quality childcare
  • improving the affordability of insurance coverage for dependents 

    6. Protect postdocs against unjust termination and unstable appointments.

    Postdocs – especially international Postdocs, whose visas rely on their jobs – are particularly vulnerable to unjust termination. We have a personal and professional interest in multi-year projects, making the fear of termination particularly palpable. We aim to promote job security with clear protections against unjust termination and arbitrary changes to contract and appointment lengths.

    7. Enhance retention and advancement opportunities.

    We aim to further improve Postdocs’ job security by ensuring:

    • transparency and consistency for all renewal, advancement, and dismissal proceedings
    • clear expectations associated with promotions, raises, and dismissals
    • fair minimum notice for non-renewals
    • increased minimum appointment lengths.

    8. Increase support for international researchers.

    The visa application, tax filing, and immigration procedures required for international Postdocs to pursue their academic goals in the US are often tedious and expensive. This is made worse by unpredictable delays and changes subject to a capricious political process. We will work to codify:

    • timely support for visa and Green Card processing
    • financial assistance with immigration procedures and relocation expenses
    • clear guidance on international tax filing
    • strong protections in cases of unforeseen delays in visa and immigration procedures 

    9. Improve and standardize healthcare and insurance.

    Postdocs regularly cycle between the Postdoctoral Associate, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Research Associate positions, resulting in critical lapses in health care and benefit coverage. We seek to make these benefits equitable across titles and funding sources. We will also advocate for improvements to the quality, coverage, and affordability of employer-provided insurance plans, including, but not limited to, medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as travel insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance.

    10. Broaden access to and improve retirement and other benefits.

    We will fight for the right to better plan for our futures through improved access to retirement and other benefits, including an equitable retirement plan with contributions from Rockefeller, and access to free financial and tax advice.

    11. Improve rights to paid vacation and leave.

    We plan to bargain over enhanced and guaranteed access to paid holidays, vacations, as well as medical, family, bereavement, and other leaves of absence.

    12. Foster a safe work environment.

    We seek to establish a fair and transparent process for promptly addressing health and safety concerns within the workplace. We also aim to enhance accessibility to wellness resources and recreational facilities.

    13. Expand access to educational resources and professional development.

    We aim to facilitate Postdoc career progress by guaranteeing and improving:

    • access to funds supporting individual and professional development opportunities
    • financial support for attending conferences, seminars, and courses
    • a right to teach and mentor to further our development as educators, scientists and managers 

    14. Protect academic freedom and intellectual property, and ensure fair compensation.

    We seek to improve intellectual property and academic freedom rights, including:

    • clear guidelines on authorship criteria
    • fair compensation for all intellectual creations including those that are licensed, patented, or sold

    15. Establish clear guidelines for job description and workload.

    We strive to ensure the right to address unreasonable workloads and guarantee timely, transparent notifications of job descriptions, responsibilities, and benefits.

    16. Improve transit and parking benefits.

    We strive for increased access to parking and transit subsidies (e.g., MTA, Citibike), as well as guaranteed support for remote work, including necessary tools and equipment for duties (e.g., software, cloud storage, and materials).

    17. Recognize and promote union rights and representation.

    Our union must be able to engage in effective representation. As such, we will bargain over provisions on union representational rights and contract enforceability. We also aim to ensure that all new postdoctoral employees receive adequate orientation about rights and benefits under our contract.

    18. Ease the burden for new employees.

    We strive for an efficient and transparent hiring procedure, including: 

    • offer letters that detail funding sources, length of available funding, responsibilities, salary, and benefits
    • access to the resources and equipment necessary for postdoctoral research
    • explanation of current and future visa options, if applicable
    • increased financial support for new hires
    • access to the UPROR-UAW contract agreement
    • a comprehensive orientation
    • accessible information on health and safety guidelines
    • ongoing job training to support new hires and long-term employee success